Romancing the Saints

I'm a Micro-blogger!

2009-07-21T06:47:00.000-07:00

The dates between posts here on my blog ought to be enough to convince anyone that I'm not really cut-out for blogging. I do, however, love to micro-blog. I tweet on Twitter & it posts directly to Facebook.

Meet me there! I'm pastorgene on Twitter; Facebook is http://www.facebook.com/pastorgene

Let the micro-blogging begin!

Position Available

2009-03-10T06:41:00.000-07:00

Sort of.

I'm looking for research assistants and it's strictly voluntary.

Here are some of the ways I'd like your help:

-Prophecy Update: If you run across any on-line articles or insights that relate to Bible prophecy, forward them. If you have discovered favorite prophecy sites I'd like to know about them.

-Bible study: Read ahead for either the Sunday morning series (currently Colossians) or the Wednesday night series (currently the Revelation). If you come across any quotes or illustrations that seem applicable, forward them.

-Titles: You know I love to have fun with titles for messages. If you have any ideas they'd be greatly appreciated!

-News: At our Wednesday Men's Fellowship we always begin with a survey of news items of interest to us as believers. When you run across any such news send it along.

Consider yourself my new RA. You start today.

It's Not Easy to Believe

2009-03-02T08:10:00.000-08:00

I am sooo thrilled at the reports from the Word on the Street team in Lemoore. Young people are responding favorably to the Gospel when it is presented to them. They are praying to receive the Lord!

Theologian and author Charles Ryrie once wrote, "it's not easy to believe." He meant that for someone - anyone - to say they believe on Jesus Christ as their Savior in response to an invitation is not an easy-believism. They could just as easily walk away or refuse the Gospel. What is happening on the streets of Lemoore is something truly marvelous.

The Word on the Street team want to begin further discipling those who are responding. They plan to begin a Bible study Saturday mornings somewhere near the skatepark. Pray for God's favor upon this next effort.

We are also looking into an outreach at the skatepark that would bring to Lemoore Christian boarders to do a demo then preach the Word.

Then, too, we have IGNITE! Lemoore Sunday evenings at 6pm at Kings Christian School. Have you visited? If not, plan to do so!

Tulare, Here we Come!

2008-10-31T08:19:00.000-07:00

My good friend, Pastor John Maher, has asked me to 'cover' for him this Sunday, November 2nd. Pam & I will be enjoying the fellowship of the saints @CC Tulare at their 10am service.

I always look forward to sharing at another fellowship until Sunday rolls around and I realize how much I miss being in Hanford.

I'll be teaching one of the chapters from the book, Romancing the Saints. Geno will be teaching in Hanford and we're having special worship by Hilary Watson.

Back to normal??

2008-03-29T08:55:00.000-07:00

Easter Sunday. Second service. Nothing short of amazing! If you were there you witnessed many come forward to rededicate their lives or make first-time commitments to Jesus Christ.

One young lady I spoke with immediately afterward had been invited by a friend. She was still trembling. She recounted how the Lord had been working on her from the moment she arrived.

I had a lengthy conversation with one of our faithful regulars. He had been specially touched by the Lord. I can’t go into detail but he experienced what I can only describe as spiritual heart surgery.

In the several days that have transpired since Easter quite a few of our people have commented excitedly about the outpouring of the Spirit we experienced.

Now what? Back to ‘normal?’

There is a sense in which Easter Sunday is special. Historically there are more people in attendance. Your family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors are more likely to agree to come than on a regular Sunday. Believers have a heightened sense of expectation. Nothing wrong with any of that.

Could every Sunday be like Easter Sunday? Well, it could for someone. Here is what I mean. Every Sunday there is probably someone in attendance who is not a believer. They can hear the Gospel and be saved. It could be through an altar call. It could be by coming forward to be prayed for. It could be by coming into contact with any of the saints in attendance. Regardless the method it will be Easter Sunday for that dearly loved person.

Every Sunday could be like Easter Sunday for any saint. Is there not always searching of the heart by God? Does our Savior not always look to operate upon our heart?

We should not treat any Sunday as normal. We should think of no meeting as ordinary. It may seem repetitive or usual to us but it is full with Easter potential for others.

Truth is, every meeting is full with Easter potential for each of us, too. We need to awake to it.

I encourage all of us to pray for and prepare for every service as if it were Easter Sunday and we expect lives to be changed.

I have a suggestion. Debrief after every service. Whether you do so alone or with those you serve with, look back upon your ministering. Was it faithful? Was it excellent? Was it Christ-like? Was it Spirit-led? Was your attitude that of a servant? What fell short and needs improvement?

Let’s raise our personal bar of ministry higher and higher as we wait for Jesus. After all, there are saints and sinners whose lives can be changed.

This is the Week that Was

2007-07-23T06:48:00.000-07:00

Many thanks to my friend, Pastor Dennis Davenport of CC of the High Desert. Dennis invited me to share at their monthly Steak & Study Men's Fellowship. Thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience. Got caught-up with some of the brothers down there who I've had dealings with over the years... And spent a good amount of time with Dennis & his family.

That was Tuesday. On Friday Geno, Jacob & I were blessed to attend the retirement service for Pastor Gillett at CC of the Sierra. Sweet time! It culminated in Gillett presenting a shepherd's staff to Eric Miller - the new senior pastor. Not a dry eye in the house.

All of it impressed upon me the joy of relationships with others in the body of Christ. And how God uses us in one another's lives in both small and great ways.

Prophetically Correct #21

2007-03-01T07:23:00.001-08:00

One of the things prophesied of the Last Days is that the Jews will be allowed to rebuild their Temple on its original site in Jerusalem. In the Olivet Discourse of Matthew 24:15 and Mark 13:14, Jesus said,

Matthew 24:15 Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in THE HOLY PLACE (let the reader understand)...

Jesus was talking about an event in the middle of the future Great Tribulation. It would occur in the holy place. The holy place is inside the Jewish Temple. A Temple must be rebuilt. Thus news about the rebuilding of the Temple is of interest to students of prophecy.

The Temple Foundation has been soliciting donations to build the Temple since the 1970's. Later, at least two yeshivas (training schools for rabbi's) began indexing people who are descended from the priests and levites to train to conduct Temple services and rituals. Yeshiva Torat Haim and Yeshiva Aterit Cohanim both train students in Temple practices and have since the mid 1980's in Jerusalem. The Temple Institute has sponsored the creation of musical instruments, and the implements to be used in the Temple. Behind the scenes, these and many other organizations have laid the groundwork for a 3rd Temple to be constructed in very short order and be fully operational.

More recently, in the February 11, 2007 edition of WorldNetDaily, an article appeared titled, Temple’s Location Found, says Israeli Archaeologist. Here are some quotes from that article:

Using maps created in 1866 by a British explorer and passages from the Jewish Mishnah, an Israeli archaeologist and professor at Hebrew University says he has pinpointed the location of the sacred Jewish Temple, twice built and twice destroyed in ancient times.

While popular consensus places the Temple, built by King Solomon in the 10th century B.C. and rebuilt by Jews who returned from Babylon in the 5th century B.C., on the site of the present Muslim Dome of the Rock, Prof. Joseph Patrich says archaeological remains show its exact location – and the consensus is wrong.

According to Patrich, the Temple, its corresponding courtyards, chambers and gates were oriented in a more southeasterly direction, sitting diagonally on what is the modern Temple Mount. The difference in orientation and the placement further eastward varies from the east-facing orientation of other scholars who believe the Temple was closer to today's Western Wall.

If Patrich is correct, the Jews could conceivably rebuild their Temple without having to either move or destroy the Muslim Dome.

What we know for sure is that a Temple will be built because it plays a prominent role in the Great Tribulation. Any news about it reminds us we are living in the last days. The coming of Jesus to Rapture His Church is imminent.

Keep your eyes on Israel… and keep looking up!

Calvary Cafe Lunch Crunch

2007-01-16T15:13:00.000-08:00

Monday through Thursday I 'volunteer' as the barista at the Calvary Cafe during the lunch crunch. As many as 50 high schoolers cross the street to enjoy our delicious offerings. It's a great gateway ministry - introducing our fellowship to a new generation.

As for me, I like ministering to the kids. I'm long past thinking that I'm still cool. But it is cool to serve them as unto the Lord.

Plus... I get to hone some of my skills as a barista!

You locals should stop by between 12:30pm & 1:00pm on a school day. You'll be blessed to see how the Lord is using our facility.

It Might Be Today!

2007-01-15T10:17:00.000-08:00

We follow current trends to see how they indicate that we are living in the Last Days that are prophesied in the Bible.

Certain characteristics of the Last Days suggest sophisticated technology that has only recently been developed. Thus the prophet Daniel predicted that in the Last Days, knowledge shall increase (Daniel 12:4).

Studies have suggested that the amount of human knowledge is now doubling every 8 years. Some of the technologies that are emerging will no doubt have a role to play in Bible Prophecy.Revelation 13 describes a mark, in the right hand or forehead that will act as not only a form of allegiance or worship, but enable people to buy or sell items - in fact you can't conduct commerce without it. The increase of RadioFrequency ID technology also presents some amazing possibilities in terms of commerce and tracking technology. When you hear comments by the head of MasterCard that microchip implants under the skin could be used for commerce - you can't help but see the path we are on. The approval of the FDA for implants under the skin for medical purposes will no doubt play a role in this emerging trend.

GPS – global positioning satellite – technology has some folks worried.

A November 2006 article in The New Standard was titled, GPS Surveillance Creeps Into Daily Life (Catherine Komp). The gist of the article was that surveillance is becoming cheaper, more prevalent, but also more pervasive, with safeguards to protect your rights to privacy lagging behind.

Some of these applications seem beneficial:

Verizon is hawking a service called "Chaperone," which notifies a customer via text message when a family member enters or leaves geographically defined "child zones."
Toys ‘R’ Us has partnered with Wherify Wireless to sell the "Wherifone," GPS technology described by the company as "destined to be on children's wish lists this year."

This week two missing Missouri boys were found alive – one after being missing four years. Wouldn’t it have been great if they were outfitted somehow with GPS tracking technology?

Workers’ advocates are concerned about the increasing use of GPS surveillance in the "mobile" workplaces of truck drivers, couriers and sales people. Previously, tracking technology was fixed in a vehicle or location – places from which employees could leave. But now companies can use GPS-equipped devices to monitor an employee during breaks, lunch hours, and potentially after their work is complete.

My only point is this: For the first time in human history, the amazing prophecies of a global economy that will require some sort of personal ‘mark’ make sense. We almost cannot keep pace with the explosion of technology – just as predicted by Daniel.

Add to the mix the crisis in the Middle East revolving around the nation of Israel… Add the very real potential of Russia, Iran, and other nations invading Israel just as prophesied by Ezekiel… Add the growing apostasy within the professing Church… Add the revival of Europe as a united block of nations… And you see all the pieces not only in place, but moving toward the events God so decidedly describes as occurring in the Last Days before Jesus returns to earth.

Before He returns, He has promised to catch-away His Church from the earth in the Rapture. It is our hope as believers.

Keep looking up!